"Champions do not become champions when they win the event, but in the hours, weeks, months and years they spend preparing for it. The victorious performance itself is merely the demonstration of their championship character. - T. Alan Armstrong

"To make it better, don't have a win-at-all-costs mentality. You win because you worked hard. You work hard and you have integrity; you have good character. Sportsmanship goes hand-in-
hand with that. When you win like that, you represent yourself and your team well." - Chad Kroell, Penn State football player

"This is a monumental, humongous fight we have on our hands, and the win-at-all costs
mentality is the No. 1 obstacle that stands in our way. We need to restore an honorable place for
second, third and even last. - Russell Gough

"The answers to these questions will determine your success or failure. 1) Can people trust me to do what's right? 2) Am I committed to doing my best? 3) Do I care about other people and show it? If the answers to these questions are yes, there is no way you can fail." - Lou Holtz

"The most important lesson I've learned from sports is how to be not only a gracious winner, but a good loser as well. Not everyone wins all the time, as a matter of fact, no one wins all the time. Winning is the easy part, losing is really tough. But, you learn more from one loss than you do from a million wins. You learn a lot about sportsmanship. I mean, it's really tough to shake the hand of someone who just beat you, and it's even harder to do it with a smile. If you can learn to do this and push through that pain, you will remember what that moment is like the next time you win and have a better sense of how those competitors around you feel. This experience will teach you a lot on and off the field!" - Amy Van Dyken

"The Spirit of Sports: The spirit of sports gives each of us who participate an opportunity to be creative. Sports knows no sex, age, race or religion. Sports gives us all the ability to test ourselves mentally, physically and emotionally in a way no other aspect of life can. For many of us who struggle with 'fitting in' or our identity - sports gives us our first face of confidence. That first bit of confidence can be a gateway to many other great things!" - Dan O'Brien

"The higher the goal, the harder the climb, but taken each day, one step at a time. The goal is accomplished, the dream is attained, and the prizes? The wisdom and strength that are gained." - American Greeting Cards

"In the end, its extra effort that separates a winner from second place. But winning takes a lot more than that, too. It starts with complete command of the fundamentals. Then it takes desire, determination, discipline, and self-sacrifice. And finally, it takes a great deal of love, fairness and respect for your fellow man. Put all these together, and even if you dont win, how can you lose?" - Jesse Owens

Every day the word 'gift' is used to define talent, ability, and performance. Being gifted has an even deeper meaning, a meaning that isn't always measured in points per game or win/loss records - it's measured by heart, effort, and desire. - Alen Cohen

"What I've learned in my years as a competitive wheelchair athlete is this--what separates a winner from the rest of the pack is not raw talent or physical ability; instead, it is the drive and dedication to work hard every single day, and the heart to go after your dream, no matter how unattainable others think it is."
---Linda Mastandrea

The medals dont mean anything and the glory doesnt last. Its all about your happiness. The rewards are going to come, but my happiness is just loving the sport and having fun performing." - Jackie Joyner-Kersee

The most important decision I ever made in my career was to live my life in sports as honestly and ethically as possible. Never having compromised my values allows me to look back on my life with no regrets and feel satisfaction in what I was able to accomplish." - Greg LeMond